Method and apparatus for redundant postage accounting data files

Abstract
Apparatus and method for the maintenance of redundant postage accounting datafiles. Redundant postage accounting report data is maintained by the present invention by first creating a datafile on a postage metering device (e.g., an SMD) to store postage accounting data. A second datafile is created on a computer capable of communicating with the SMD (which may be either remote or local to the computer). For every transaction which updates the postage accounting data stored in the SMD, the datafile residing on the computer is updated to reflect the change.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for the maintenance of redundant postage accounting datafiles. More specifically, the present invention allows the maintenance of postage accounting data both in a secure metering device (SMD) and in a general purpose computer (GPC).




Historically, postage meters have been dedicated, stand-alone devices, capable only of printing postage indicia on envelopes or labels (in the case of parcels), and resided at a user's site. As such, these devices could provide postage metering only for that particular site and required the user to physically transport the device to a post office for resetting (increasing the amount of postage contained in the meter). These were secure devices which contained mechanical (later, electronic) accounting registers that dispensed postage in isolation from other systems. An advance over these systems was the ability to reset a meter via codes communicated to the user. These codes were provided by either the manufacturer or the postal authority, once the customer had made payment.




In contrast, modern electronic meters are often capable of being reset directly by an authorized party, on-site (at the user's location) via a communications link. A system which performs meter resetting in this manner is known as a Computerized Meter Resetting System (or “CMRS”). The party having authority to reset the meter and charge the customer (usually the manufacturer or the postal authority) thus gains access to, and resets the meter.




Mail accounting data may be accumulated and read from the more sophisticated electronic meters which have recently become available. Such meters can record expenditure information automatically and can issue periodic accounting reports of postage purchased. These reports may even provide detailed accounting of postage expenditures (for example, reports of postage expended by different departments in a company).




However, problems exist even in the most modern postage systems. Large users, who may maintain a number of postage meters at varied locations (often far distant from one another) cannot obtain a single consolidated report from current systems without manually compiling data from individual postage meters and databases. Further, a user whose postage meter data is corrupted or destroyed may be unable to reconstruct the lost postage accounting data.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The present invention provides an apparatus and method for the maintenance of redundant postage accounting datafiles. Redundant postage accounting report data is maintained by the present invention by first creating a datafile on a postage metering device (e.g., an SMD) to store postage accounting data. A second datafile is created on a computer capable of communicating with the SMD (which may be either remote or local to the computer). For every transaction which updates the postage accounting data stored in the SMD, the datafile residing on the computer is updated to reflect the change.




In a postage accounting report generation system of the present invention, a postage transaction is recorded in a datafile residing in a postage metering device (such as an SMD) and in a second datafile residing in a computer. The present invention can thus support departmentalized accounting and centralization of remote postage accounting.




A further understanding of the nature and advantages of the present invention may be realized by reference to the remaining portions of the specification and the drawings.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a diagram showing an example of a modular postage accounting system;





FIG. 2

is a flowchart showing a specific embodiment of the present invention, specifically the maintenance of redundant postage accounting datafiles;





FIG. 3

is a flowchart showing a specific embodiment of the present invention, specifically the actions which occur upon the imprinting of postage; and





FIG. 4

is a flowchart showing a specific embodiment of the present invention, specifically the resetting of postage values.











DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT




I. Introduction




In the near future, systems will allow the use of existing general purpose computing resources to provide postage delivery at a user's site, allowing efficient, economical printing of postage indicia. Such systems will furnish postage at a user's location upon request, and are exemplified by the system described in the copending application entitled “Method and Apparatus for a Modular Postage Accounting System,” by C. Shah and K. Robertson (filed concurrently with this application), the disclosure of which has already been incorporated herein by reference. Using well known techniques for the encryption of data within what are known as “trusted systems,” such postage delivery systems use ordinary computers and printers to print encrypted postage indicia while maintaining and updating postage accounting data within the GPC's memory. By isolating the three basic postage registers within a separate device (the SMD), all functions other than overall postage accounting can then be performed in a GPC. Security of SMD register data and validation of postage printing transactions will depend on standard encryption techniques and physical security.




II. An Example of Postage Metering Using an Open System





FIG. 1

is a diagram showing an example of a Modular Postage Accounting System (MPAS)


1


. MPAS


1


consists of three major components: a CMRS


105


, a ZIP-code information system (ZCIS)


191


and an open system metering device (OSMD)


5


. The first component, CMRS


105


, is a system based on modem communications between a modern electronic postage meter (not shown) and a resetting station computer


120


. Well known in the art, the operation of CMRS


105


is the subject of government standards. The operation of CMRS


105


will therefore not be treated in detail here. The second component, ZCIS


191


, provides computer access to national and international ZIP-codes. ZCIS


191


is a commercially-available system, with some 150 installations in the U.S. As such, its operation, too, will not be treated in detail. The final component, OSMD


5


, performs all of the functions traditionally associated with conventional postage meters and may include a secure metering device (SMD)


10


, a GPC


20


, an electronic scale


40


and a digital printer


60


. SMD


10


performs the accounting functions generally associated with the traditional postage meter. SMD


10


generates encrypted postage indicia for transmission by the computer to digital printer


60


and subsequent printing on a mailpiece (exemplified by a mailpiece


100


).




A secure communications link


30


connects SMD


10


to GPC


20


. Secure communications link


30


may be any mechanism of transferring information such that it is protected from unauthorized interception, such as an RS-232C serial communications line or a direct internal connection to GPC


20


. These techniques may be combined with encryption of the postage information. SMD


10


contains two battery augmented memories (BAMs, not shown) for providing non-volatile storage of postage accounting information. This postage information, as is well known in the art, typically consists of an ascending register, a descending register and a control total register (none of which are shown). As is also well-known in the art, an ascending register holds a value equal to the amount of postage used, a descending register holds a value equal to the amount of postage which remains unused, and a control total register holds the sum of the ascending register and descending register. SMD


10


may also contain a real-time clock and memory (neither of which is shown). Encryption may be performed by a hardware encryptor or by software algorithm (for instance, the DES or RSA algorithms). SMD


10


may contain postage accounting information for one or more departments within a customer's organization, which may be widely dispersed geographically.




GPC


20


is also connected to a communications interface device


50


, which provides access to a CMRS


105


via a communications medium


110


. A communications device


130


allows a resetting station computer


120


to communicate with GPC


20


and SMD


10


to perform resets (add postage value to SMD


10


), accounting/auditing operations and other functions as required. Optionally, GPC


20


and SMD


10


may communicate with a ZCIS computer


150


. ZCIS computer


150


is connected to communications medium


110


via a communications interface device


160


. Also connected to ZCIS computer


150


is a CD-ROM device


180


, which holds national and international postal ZIP-code information.




As is well known in the art, a system such as this requires operating software (not shown). Software resident on GPC


20


enables GPC


20


to communicate with CMRS


105


, SMD


10


, digital printer


60


and, optionally, electronic scale


40


. Software with these capabilities is commercially available, and so will not be described in detail herein. The protocol used by CMRS


105


(which supports communication between SMD


10


, GPC


20


and CMRS


105


) is also well-known, as it is the subject of a U.S. government standard. Software resident on SMD


10


is also well-known and is similar to that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,484,307, by Quatse et al, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.




Communication between GPC


20


and SMD


10


is bi-directional. GPC


20


sends control commands and information requests to SMD


10


. SMD


10


, in return, may send human-readable data (in response to information requests), postage indicia (in response to postage requests and which are encrypted) or both. For example, postage is requested by a user (not shown) by the user's entering postage information into GPC


20


. GPC


20


sends this information, together with mail class/service, any other values required (e.g., insurance) and the destination ZIP-code to SMD


10


.




In turn, SMD


10


responds by generating a secure (via encryption) postage indicia file together with a license number and transmitting that information to GPC


20


. GPC


20


takes the information provided by SMD


10


and constructs a postage indicia print file comprising a two-dimensional code, graphical information and human-readable data. The postage indicia print file, together with optional information (such as address information, ZIP-code barcoding and any user-defined information) is transmitted to printer


60


for printing. Printer


60


then imprints the postage indicia and other information onto an envelope (mailpiece


100


), a label (not shown) or other means of affixation of postage. GPC


20


may also access CMRS


105


for resetting SMD


10


, auditing by postal authorities and other purposes. This allows for resetting (the entry of postage credit) in a manner similar to conventional electronic postage meters.




Alternately, SMD


10


may reside at the CMRS site and communicate with resetting station computer


120


via a secure communications link (not shown). In this configuration, GPC


20


and resetting station computer


120


communicate over communications medium


110


on a transactional basis. When postage is desired, GPC


20


communicates the request to resetting station computer


120


, which in turn sends the request to SMD


10


. SMD


10


then returns a postage indicia file, which is communicated to GPC


20


for printing. As the per transaction overhead is higher for this configuration, requests may be submitted together to reduce overhead.




III. The Maintenance of Redundant Postage Accounting Datafiles




The present invention uses the previously described interface between SMD


10


and a computer (either GPC


20


or resetting station computer


120


) to maintain postage accounting information, which may subsequently be used to create reports. A record of each transaction, running totals or both are maintained in GPC


20


, resetting station computer


120


or both, by comparing stored accounting information to the running totals residing in SMD


10


. Postage accounting reports may then be accessed by authorized parties, such as the user's accounting department, the manufacturer or the postal authority.




Record keeping in the MPAS is shown in FIG.


2


and typically proceeds as follows. First, datafiles are created in SMD


10


and either GPC


20


, resetting station computer


120


or both (depending on the user's needs). This creates redundant postage accounting datafiles, as shown in steps


200


and


202


of FIG.


2


. At step


210


, the user makes a transaction request. When a transaction is requested, a decision is made at step


220


as to whether the user has requested an imprint transaction or reset transaction. Other transactions may occur at this point, but are not shown for the sake of clarity. Copending application entitled “Method and Apparatus for a Modular Postage Accounting System,” by C. Shah and K. Robertson, should be referenced for a more complete listing of these communications.




If the user selects an imprint transaction, the system performs imprint processing (step


230


). As shown in

FIG. 3

, imprint processing begins (step


300


) by debiting the postage amount from the credit stored in the BAMs (step


310


) and then checks to ensure that the data was successfully entered (step


320


). At step


330


, redundant postage accounting datafiles are updated by debiting the proper accounts. These datafiles contain the Mail Accounting Report (MAR) data, which details postage use by department. Again, the datafiles are checked to ensure that the data was successfully entered (step


340


). In step


350


, imprint processing then concludes.




If the user selects a reset transaction, the system performs reset processing (step


240


). As shown in

FIG. 4

, reset processing begins (step


400


) by crediting (or “resetting”) SMD


10


. Crediting is done by increasing the postage amount held in the BAMs by the amount of postage purchased (step


410


). At step


420


, the values are checked to ensure that data entry was successful. At step


430


, redundant postage accounting datafiles are updated by crediting the proper accounts. These datafiles contain the Postage Reset Payment Record (PRRR) data, which maintains a history of the postage resets which have been performed. Again, the datafiles are checked to ensure that the data was successfully entered (step


440


). In step


450


, reset processing then concludes. If no further transactions are pending, the system goes back to its ground state, as reflected by step


250


in FIG.


2


.




The present invention thus allows automatic maintenance of postage accounting report data. This data may reside on GPC


20


, resetting station computer


120


or both. This makes six scenarios possible: SMD


10


and redundant postage accounting datafiles on the same computer (either GPC


20


or resetting station computer


120


), SMD


10


and redundant postage accounting datafiles on different computers, or redundant postage accounting datafiles on both computers (with the SMD on either GPC


20


or resetting station computer


120


). Maintaining the postage accounting report data on resetting station computer


120


is the most likely scenario because there is less opportunity for tampering, as access may be easily controlled and users are restricted to read-only access (and then, they may only access their own datafiles). For large users, SMD


10


will also be likely to reside on resetting station computer


120


. The advantage of this approach is that large users, who may maintain a number of postage meters at varied locations, have the option of obtaining a single consolidated report from the central computer data, and destroyed or corrupted postage accounting report data can be retrieved from equally reliable data residing on resetting station computer


120


. Just as with a CMRS postage meter, postage reset transactions are controlled by resetting station computer


120


located at the meter company's central office, which is interfaced to GPC


20


via modem and telephone line. Thus, the existing link between GPC


20


and resetting station computer


120


may be exploited to provide an alternate source for accounting data.




Of course, redundant postage accounting datafiles may be kept on both GPC


20


and resetting station computer


120


to provide maximum redundancy. However, this configuration also entails the greatest per-transaction overhead, with communication and updating required for each transaction. The choice of configuration will thus rest on customer requirements, as some configurations entail these communications anyway.




While the above is a complete description of specific embodiments of the invention, various modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents may be used. For example, the redundant postage accounting datafiles and SMD


20


may be situated in several locations. Also, multiple transactions may be submitted together to improve efficiency. Therefore, the above description should not be taken as limiting the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.



Claims
  • 1. A method of maintaining redundant postage accounting data comprising:creating a first datafile in a non-volatile memory of a postage metering device for storing postage accounting data; creating a second datafile in a non-volatile memory of a computer and outside said postage metering device, wherein said computer is operatively coupled to said postal metering device and said second datafile is a redundant datafile for said postage accounting data; and updating said second datafile to reflect changes in said first datafile.
  • 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said second datafile allows user read-only access.
  • 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:generating a consolidated report pertaining to activities within a plurality of postage metering devices based on one or more second datafiles associated with said plurality of postage metering devices.
  • 4. The method of claim 3, wherein said consolidated report includes postage usage information related to imprint transactions.
  • 5. The method of claim 3, wherein said consolidated report includes postage reset information related to reset transactions.
  • 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:updating said first datafile in response to a postal transaction.
  • 7. The method of claim 6, wherein said postal transaction is an indicium imprint transaction or a meter reset transaction.
  • 8. The method of claim 6, wherein said updating said first datafile is performed via a secure transaction.
  • 9. The method of claim 8, wherein said secure transaction is achieved via encryption.
  • 10. The method of claim 1, wherein communication between said postage metering device and said computer is achieved via a secure communications link.
  • 11. The method of claim 1, wherein said updating said second datafile is performed after each postal transaction in which said postage accounting data in said first datafile is updated.
  • 12. The method of claim 1, wherein said first datafile is inaccessible via said computer.
  • 13. The method of claim 1, wherein said postage accounting data comprises a descending register indicative of an amount of available funds.
  • 14. The method of claim 1, wherein said postage metering device is located within an enclosure of said computer.
  • 15. The method of claim 1, wherein said computer is located remotely from said postage metering device.
  • 16. The method of claim 1, wherein said second datafile is secure.
  • 17. The method of claim 1, wherein said postage metering device is communicatively coupled to a plurality of computers.
  • 18. The method of claim 1, wherein said second datafile includes a history of transactions carried out by said postage metering device.
  • 19. The method of claim 1, wherein said first datafile is stored in dual redundant memory devices within an enclosure of said postage metering device.
  • 20. A postage accounting report generation system wherein a postage transaction is recorded in a first datafile in a non-volatile memory residing in a postage metering device and a second datafile in a non-volatile memory residing in a computer and outside said postage metering device, said computer coupled to said postage metering device, for the purpose of maintaining a redundant datafile.
  • 21. The system of claim 20, wherein user access to said second datafile is read-only.
  • 22. The system of claim 20, wherein a consolidated report pertaining to activities within a plurality of postage metering devices is generated based on one or more second datafiles associated with said plurality of postage metering devices.
  • 23. The system of claim 22, wherein said consolidated report includes postage usage information related to imprint transactions.
  • 24. The system of claim 22, wherein said consolidated report includes postage reset information related to reset transactions.
  • 25. The system of claim 20, wherein said first datafile is updated in response to a postal transaction.
  • 26. The system of claim 25, wherein said postal transaction is an indicium imprint transaction or a meter reset transaction.
  • 27. The system of claim 25, wherein said first datafile is updated via a secure transaction.
  • 28. The system of claim 27, wherein said secure transaction is achieved via encryption.
  • 29. The system of claim 20, wherein communication between said postage metering device and said computer is achieved via a secure communications link.
  • 30. The system of claim 20, wherein said second datafile is updated after each postal transaction in which said postage accounting data in said first datafile is updated.
  • 31. The system of claim 20, wherein said first datafile is inaccessible via said computer.
  • 32. The system of claim 20, wherein said postage accounting data comprises a descending register indicative of an amount of available funds.
  • 33. A method f maintaining redundant postage accounting data comprising:creating a first datafile on a postage metering device for storing postage accounting data, said first datafile being used to keep accounting of the usage of said postage metering device by a user; creating a second datafile on a computer and outside said postage metering device, wherein said computer is operatively coupled to said postal metering device and said second datafile is a redundant datafile for said postage accounting data, wherein said user is provided read-only access to said second datafile, so that said user may obtain information on said postage accounting data; updating said first datafile in response to a postal transaction; and updating said second datafile to reflect changes in said first datafile, wherein said first datafile is inaccessible via said computer.
  • 34. A method of maintaining redundant postage accounting data on a user's use of a postage metering device, comprising:creating a first datafile in a first non-volatile memory of said postage metering device to store postage accounting data; creating a second datafile in a second non-volatile memory of a computer and outside said postage metering device to store redundant postage accounting data; and creating a transaction file in said computer, said transaction file containing postal transaction records to allow said user to view or print said postal transaction records.
  • 35. The method of claim 34, further comprising:updating said first datafile and second datafile in response to a postal transaction.
  • 36. The method of claim 35, wherein said first datafile maintains only updated postage accounting data.
  • 37. The method of claim 34, wherein said first datafile is used to charge said user for the postage metering device use according to said postage accounting data stored in said first datafile.
  • 38. A method of maintaining redundant postage accounting data on a user's use of a postage metering device, comprising:creating a first datafile in a first non-volatile memory of said postage metering device to store postage accounting data; and creating a second datafile in a second non-volatile memory of a computer and outside said postage metering device to store redundant postage accounting data and a postal transaction log providing transaction history.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/562,143, filed on Nov. 22, 1995, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,234. The following two commonly-owned and concurrently filed applications are incorporated by reference. C. Shah and D. T. Gilham, entitled “Method and Apparatus for Authentication of Postage Accounting Reports” application Ser. No. 08/561,662, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 5,778,066; and C. Shah and K. Robertson, entitled “Method and Apparatus for a Modular Postage Accounting System” application Ser. No. 08/562,268, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 5,822,738.

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Continuations (1)
Number Date Country
Parent 08/562143 Nov 1995 US
Child 09/225195 US